Hokkaido

The Hokkaido is one of the native Japanese dog breeds, sometimes called the Ainu-ken after the Ainu people of northern Japan. It is a medium spitz with prick ears, a curled or sickle tail and a thick double coat built for cold winters. A grown dog carries the weight of a working farm and hunting dog rather than a lap companion.

The breed was put together for hunting across rough, snowy country, and that background still shapes the character. A Hokkaido bonds tightly with its own household while staying reserved around visitors. Owners describe it as devoted, switched on and keen to work, with an independent streak bred in over generations of hunting well away from the handler.

The breed does best with people who can put in daily exercise and steady guidance. Long stretches of boredom, or being shut on a section by itself all day, do not suit it.

Who it suits

The Hokkaido suits active households after a loyal guardian and an outdoors dog. Trampers, runners and people on a lifestyle block in the cooler parts of the country match it well. A first-time owner can manage the breed, but only with the structure, training and company that an alert, independent dog expects.

The Hokkaido carries the name of the northern Japanese island where it took shape. The breed is closely tied to the Ainu, the indigenous people of that region, and for that reason it has also been known as the Ainu-ken or Ainu dog. Its ancestors are thought to have crossed to the island with migrating people centuries ago, then adapted to cold, mountainous country.

The Ainu hunted large game with these dogs, bear and deer among them, over deep snow and difficult ground. That work asked for courage, staying power and the judgement to act alone, well out of reach of the hunter. Those traits were selected over many generations and are still in the breed today.

The island stayed fairly isolated for long stretches, which held the breed type steady. Once contact with the rest of Japan picked up, the dogs drew interest from beyond the region.

The Hokkaido is one of several native Japanese breeds recognised within Japan as part of the country's canine heritage. It is still far thinner on the ground than the Shiba Inu or the Akita, both inside Japan and overseas.

The Hokkaido has the usual spitz outline: a solid, balanced body, small triangular ears held upright, and a tail carried in a curl or a sickle over the back. The build is compact and muscular, in keeping with the breed's working past. The expression is alert and settled, with small, slightly triangular dark eyes set a little obliquely. Some dogs carry a spotted tongue, a trait seen in the breed.

Coat and colours

The double coat is built for cold weather. The outer layer is straight and fairly coarse, while the undercoat is soft and dense for insulation. Recognised colours are red, white, black, brindle and sesame, the last a mix of coloured and black-tipped hairs. The coat sheds hard at the seasonal changes, when the undercoat blows out over a few weeks.

The Hokkaido attaches strongly to its own people and is affectionate and faithful at home. Strangers usually get reserve rather than a warm welcome on a first meeting, so the dog reads as watchful. It is alert and picks up on changes around the property, which is why it works as a natural watchdog.

Courage is the trait the breed is known for. Dogs bred to face large game carry that boldness into ordinary life as confidence rather than nerves. The Hokkaido is also independent and used to making its own calls, so it will not always stand there waiting for instruction.

With children in its own family, a well-socialised Hokkaido is generally patient and devoted, though time with young children should be supervised. How it goes with other dogs and small pets depends on early exposure. The hunting background can show up as a strong prey drive towards smaller animals, so introductions and socialisation from puppyhood matter.

The Hokkaido is a hardy dog, and its care comes down to two practical things: the coat and the energy level.

Grooming

• Brush the coat at least once a week to lift loose hair and stop matting.
• Brush daily through the seasonal moult, when the undercoat comes out in handfuls.
• Bath only when the dog needs it, since frequent washing strips the protective coat.
• Check and trim nails regularly, and clean the ears so wax does not build up.
• Brush the teeth several times a week to keep the gums in good order.

Exercise

• Give the dog at least 60 minutes of activity a day, split between walks and free running where it is safe.
• Add mental work such as scent games, training sessions or puzzle feeders.
• Use a securely fenced area for off-lead time, because the prey drive is strong.
• Keep the lead on in open country where stock, ground-nesting birds or other wildlife could set off a chase. In kiwi country, aversion training is worth booking before the dog goes anywhere near bush tracks.

Environment

The double coat handles cold weather without any trouble, so a Hokkaido is comfortable outdoors through a South Island winter. It will live in a house of almost any size as long as the daily exercise is there, but it does not cope with being left alone for long stretches. Through a humid northern summer, keep activity to the cooler ends of the day and make sure there is shade and water on the section.

The Hokkaido is an active, muscular dog and needs a complete and balanced diet that keeps up with what it burns. A good commercial food made for the dog's life stage does the job, dry, wet or a mix of both. Portions belong to the individual dog, since a working or very active Hokkaido eats more than a quieter one. Keep the dog lean and athletic, and go by the ribs and waistline rather than the number printed on the bag.

Treats and supplements

Treats should sit at no more than about 10 percent of the daily kilojoules, and the main meal comes down when treats go up. Most healthy Hokkaidos on a complete diet have no need of supplements. Fresh water should always be there, particularly after exercise. Talk to your vet before adding any supplement or changing the diet for a health reason.

The Hokkaido counts as a hardy and generally healthy breed, helped along by its working background and a gene pool wider than that of some popular breeds. Most dogs reach 12 to 15 years on good care. As with any breed, a few conditions turn up more often than others, and responsible breeders screen their stock to keep inherited trouble out of their lines.

Preventive care

• Keep core and recommended vaccinations current.
• Stay on year-round parasite control for fleas, ticks and worms as your vet advises for your area.
• Book an annual check-up, moving to twice a year once the dog is a senior.
• Hold the dog at a lean weight to spare the joints.
• Keep up dental care so gum disease does not take hold.
• Buy from breeders who health-test for hip and eye conditions.

The Hokkaido is bright and picks things up fast, though its independence means it will not obey just for the sake of obeying. The breed does best with a handler who stays calm, consistent and fair. Heavy-handed corrections tend to backfire and cost you the dog's trust. Short, varied sessions hold its attention far better than long repetitive drills. Because the breed is reserved with strangers and can run a strong prey drive, early and ongoing socialisation is the part of training that matters most.

Basics

1. Start socialisation in puppyhood with people, places, sounds and other animals.
2. Teach a reliable recall early, and prove it in a fenced area before you trust it out in the open.
3. Build core cues such as sit, down, stay and leave it in short daily sessions.
4. Introduce lead manners gently and pay the dog for a loose lead.
5. Add problem-solving games so the brain gets a workout too.
6. Keep the rules the same for everyone in the household.

Breeding a Hokkaido asks for a responsible approach, with attention to health, temperament and the small size of the worldwide population. Dogs are physically mature at one to two years, but breeders normally wait until a dog is fully grown and has cleared health screening. A bitch is usually bred once she is mature and cycling normally.

Gestation runs about 63 days from conception. Litters are commonly small to medium in number. The dam generally manages whelping with little help, although an attentive breeder watches the birth and is ready to get a vet involved if anything goes wrong.

Pups are born deaf and blind and depend entirely on their dam for the first weeks. Early handling and gentle exposure to everyday sights and sounds produce confident, level-headed adults. Puppies usually stay with the litter until about eight weeks, which sets up sound social development before they go to new homes. Anyone breeding in New Zealand works from a very small local gene pool, so registration with Dogs New Zealand and imported bloodlines, which come with MPI health standards and quarantine requirements, both come into the picture.

Hokkaido registration and microchip registration in New Zealand

Adding your Hokkaido to the registry is a ten-minute job at most: name, date of birth, photo, contact details, save. The profile is free for life and works whether the chip is already in or booked for the next vet visit. Dog registration is the place to start.

A scanned chip is only ever as useful as its record. Pop your Hokkaido's fifteen digit number into a free United Pet Club account and the record does the rest: free updates after every move, every brand accepted, searchable day and night. Microchip registration first, account alongside.